FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

Shirveish ny Eirinee

Hie shirveish braew er cummal mysh shiaghtin er dy henney ayns Balla Keeill Eoin. She 'shirveish shirrey' v'ayn, as shen aghin chrauee reaghit ec y cheeill, as mleeaney v'eh cummit er lheh son eirinee.

Haink sleih dy liooar gys y chirveish shoh yn ayrn smoo jeu eirinee as nyn mooinjeryn as v'ad shirrey er Yee cooney y chur da eirinys. Cheayll shin veih ny saggyrtyn dy row eirinys ayns Mannin bunnys er n'gholl magh as mannagh jig caghlaa mooar cha bee eirinagh faagit ayns Mannin. Son shickyrys ta shin er chlashtyn yn skeeal shoh roish nish car yn keead shoh agh va raaue currit dooin dy nee skeeal firrinagh t'ayn nish!

Va'n charmane goll er livrey liorish Juan Mac Kenniagh as she sharmane feer niartal v'ayn. Son shickyrys ta ram Manninee oayll rish yn aght, ny ellyn foddee, ta Mnr Mac Kenniagh sharmanaghey, as gyn ourys va'n chooish echey ec yn chirveish livreit dooin ayns aght feer shickyr as lajer.

Va baare as bun y chooish echey smooinaght cadjin da ooilley ny eirinee ayns Mannin. T'eh jeeaghyn nagh vel scansh erbee currit da bee jeant veih ooir yn ellan ain ec ny cummaltee Vannin ny laghyn shoh. S'cammyltagh eh dy vel yn reiltys cur er eirinee dy yannoo ny sloo bee traa nagh vel bee dy liooar ry-gheddyn son sleih boght ayns ny cheeraghyn elley. S'atchimagh eh dy vel shinyn ayns Mannin coontey ny smoo jeh thieyn noa ny thieyn mooarey cheerey na magheryn lane dy churnaght ny maase. S'agglagh eh dy vel scansh trome currit da jough meshtallagh traa ta eirinee creck bainney son ny sloo na t'ad ceau er jannoo eh.

Eer nagh vel shin arryltagh geeck leagh cair son nyn mee nagh lhisagh shin geeck son freayll yn cheer bio as aalin? Car y lieh-cheead shoh ta eirinee er ve eignit dy yannoo ymmyd jeh ny smoo as ny smoo stooghyn kemmigagh as cliaghtaghyn nagh vel cooie da'n cheer ny kenjal da beiyn. 'Sy toshiaght va shoh son mooadaghey troayryn tra va genney dy vee ayn, agh haink eh dy ve yn un aght dy chosney argid veih'n thalloo.

Wahll, va olteynyn Tinvaal dy liooar ec yn chirveish shoh shiaghtin dy row ta abyl dy chooney lesh ny eirinee as sauail eirinys son y thousane blein shoh cheet. Agh t'eh foddey smoo doillee dy yannoo reddyn seihlltagh na goaill padjer ayns keeill. S'treisht lhiam dy bee ad ny smoo arryltagh cooney y chur da ny eirinee lurg va trimmid y chooish currit rhymboo 'sy cheeill na v'ad roish.

Gow my leshtal nagh daink yn cholloo shoh rish rish tammylt braew nish, agh va'n lhiettrimys ass my laueyn.

Pray for the Farmers

There was a very good service held about a week ago in St Johns. The 'Rogation Service', a solemn ceremony of supplication organised by the church, was held this year especially for farmers.

There were plenty of people at this service many of them farmers or people from farming stock all there to ask God for help for agriculture. We heard from Alan Matthews of the perilous condition which Manx agriculture now found itself and without significant changes there will hardly be any farmers left in the Isle of Man. Sure enough we've heard this all before throughout this century but a warning was given that this time the danger to Manx agriculture is very real.

The sermon was delivered by Mr John Kennaugh and a very powerful sermon it was too. Many Manx people will know already of Mr Kennaugh's great skill, or perhaps art, as an orator and preacher, and with out a doubt he delivered his message with great strength and surety.

The basic message which he had is familiar to all farmers in Mann. It appears that the general public no longer value the production of food on Manx soil. It is scandalous that farmers are being asked to cut back food production when millions of people throughout the world are starving. It is terrible that we value new housing estates and large country houses above fields of wheat or cattle. It is awful that people will pay any price for alcohol at the same time that farmers sell milk for less than their production costs.

Even if we are not willing to pay a fair price for Manx produced food shouldn't we be prepared to pay farmers to keep the countryside alive and beautiful? Throughout the latter half of this century farmers have been forced to use more and more chemicals and practices which are either bad for the countryside or unsympathetic to animals. Initially this was driven by a push for more food but eventually it became the only way to make a reasonable living from the land.

Well, Tynwald members were out in great force on Sunday to show their solidarity with the farming community and they have the power to save the situation. However, it is far more difficult to carry out tangible policies than it is to say a few prayers in church. I am sure that having heard the compelling message delivered in the church that our politicians will redouble their efforts for agriculture.

I'm sorry that the column has been missing for a few weeks. This was for reasons beyond my control.

Phil Gawne